“I want to applaud the authors of this exhibition because it makes us think about the true emotional capital of Bulgaria. We take pride in our beautiful mountains, the beauties of nature, famous singers – but is not Bulgarians’ tolerance our greatest source of pride?”

So said Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov at the opening of an exhibition of models of houses of worship, entitled “Tolerance: Beacon of Faith and Life”. The exhibition, at the Archaeological Museum in Sofia, is under the auspices of the Italian Ambassador, Stefano Benazzo, and is being held with the support of Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova.

Minister Mladenov said that tolerance had survived into our time thanks to people who had embraced it within their souls in times of trial and when its existence was under threat.

“In Bulgaria, Christians, Muslims, Jews and Armenians do not only live in mutual understanding, but also participate equally in building the country,” Minister Mladenov said.